I just came back from a week in Las Lenas .I tested for 3 days the bandit XXX in 178 cm .lenght.
It was perfect out of bounds I could ski powder, crud and windblown , better than most snowboarders , and was acceptable in the marked trails.

But My guess is that a longer lenght is better , and maybe the Bandit XX is more " all mountain ".
I weight 92 kilos ( about 180 pounds )and 180 cm of height ( I guess 5 foot 9).
Anybody knows the right size for the bandits for me ? [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] .

Another option is the Salomon Scream .
( those are the only fat skis available in Argentina )

Well, extreme veteran, this is the bait. It is difficult - perhaps even impossible - for me to resist making a comment on this subject. It is known that I have raved about the Rossignol Bandit XX, and although I've never skied the XXX, I would concur that the XX is most probably the more versatile ski. Although I also ski the Bandit X and enjoy it, I have discovered that the XX gets me through difficult snow more comfortably than the X.

Given your own weight, height, apparent ability and terrain preferences, the 177 cm length could be right for you. . . but then, considering that you're thinking of a longer length in the XXX, better to have the opinions of skiers closer to your ability. I am the most mediocre of skiers, definitely not extreme (except perhaps in my opinions), ski mostly in less open conditions in the eastern USA, and here are my personal data: Height, 5'8"; weight about 150 pounds. I ski the Bandit XX in 170. The 177 was definitely too long for me to enjoy, and I can't imagine I'd be a better skier on anything shorter than the 170.

I'm about your size. I have a few more lbs then you but close enough. I Demoed The XXX and XX from 170 on up. The Banditts aren't my kind of ski. Oh They are good skis, just not the ski for me. That said The 177 should be fine for you in the XXX and The XX.

First off, we need to get your measurements right. You are just under 5' 11" and weigh in at 203 pounds. I'm 2 cm taller than you and 11 kilograms lighter. For me, I thought the 184 cm Bandit XX was the ideal size. That said, I should point out that I like my skis long and I don't have to contend with tight moguls, crowded slopes or severe ice.

I would think the 184 cm would be a good fit unless you need to do a lot of tight turns in which case the XX probably isn't the right ski anyway. I would hesitate recommending the XX in a 191 cm length because the 191 cm version skis more than 7 cm longer (it seems to be stiffer than the 184 cm length).

Originally posted by extreme veteran:I just came back from a week in Las Lenas .I tested for 3 days the bandit XXX in 178 cm .lenght.
It was perfect out of bounds I could ski powder, crud and windblown , better than most snowboarders , and was acceptable in the marked trails.

But My guess is that a longer lenght is better , and maybe the Bandit XX is more " all mountain ".
I weight 92 kilos ( about 180 pounds )and 180 cm of height ( I guess 5 foot 9).
Anybody knows the right size for the bandits for me ? [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] .

Another option is the Salomon Scream .
( those are the only fat skis available in Argentina )

EV
The first time I tried XXX's was at Las Lenas as well years back. They had a rack full ov em and noone was trying those crazy fat things :
Started with the 188 and fell in love. Moved on to the 193 and fell out of love with the 188.
My advice? Go back to las lenas and demo the 185 before you buy a ski that you may be kicking yourself for.

I skiied the 188 XX at Snowbird a few years ago and loved it. I do have some reservations about Rossi's foam core skis; I prefer to bu a wood core ski. As I recall though there is a significant difference in the flex/construction between the 170 and 180 mark in this particular ski. I love Volkl skis even though I'm not skiing on any currently due to pricing and supply considerations. Check out the V-Explosiv or V-Pro if you can, also K2 Enemy has about the same dimensions and can be had for a bargain price, the K2 Public Enemy is a fatter ski still and can also be found much cheaper than the Rossi's. PS: I'm 5'6" and 175 lbs, whatever that converts to. I'm metrically challenged. I'm skiing a 183 K2 Enemy and a 180 Karhu Jak/Line Mothership.

Originally posted by teledave:I skiied the 188 XX at Snowbird a few years ago and loved it. I do have some reservations about Rossi's foam core skis; I prefer to bu a wood core ski. As I recall though there is a significant difference in the flex/construction between the 170 and 180 mark in this particular ski. I love Volkl skis even though I'm not skiing on any currently due to pricing and supply considerations. Check out the V-Explosiv or V-Pro if you can, also K2 Enemy has about the same dimensions and can be had for a bargain price, the K2 Public Enemy is a fatter ski still and can also be found much cheaper than the Rossi's. PS: I'm 5'6" and 175 lbs, whatever that converts to. I'm metrically challenged. I'm skiing a 183 K2 Enemy and a 180 Karhu Jak/Line Mothership.

Thanks for the info , I always liked the K2 skis but seems that nobody is importing them down here.

I will try to buy them used from a patroller , instructor ... or friendly gringo.

I have skied both the Bandit XX and the Bandit XXX. I weigh 90kg and I am 2.75m tall. Perhaps what follows will help you select the right pair of skis for how and where you ski.

Last season I rented for 7 days 191 Bandit XX skis. I found these skis versatile in most snow conditions, and very quick edge to edge. The ski tips were a little "squirrelly" at high speed straight-lining. A good all mountain ski, and very smooth.

This season I bought a pair of 195 Bandit XXX skis. I ski primarily at west coast areas such as Mammoth CA and Whistler BC, where soft snow conditions prevail.

I found that the Bandit XXX skis are much more than a powder ski, and are very capable of handling a wide range of variable terrain and snow conditions, from Sierra cement to corn. These skis have good float, and are very stable at high speed. They are very quiet and ultra damp, and have a big sweet spot. They are perhaps even more versatile than the XX. They do not ski as wide as they look on hardpack. Rock hard frozen slush/crud and boilerplate ice were difficult for the Bandit XXX. In tight situations, with some effort, the skis will turn quickly if you keep your weight centered/forward.

Bottom line, the Bandit XXX model at the 195 length are amazing skis. If you ski mostly above the treeline, in soft snow conditions, and like to make fast GS turns, then the Bandit is your ski. I have only skied the 195, so I do not know how different the performance of the 178 and 185 lenghts are. My advice would be to go long.

Elsewhere on this site, CARDSHARP has had similar experiences with the Bandit XXX. Powder Magazine and Canadian Ski Press have highly recommended the Bandit XXX. See www.skipressmag.com under the ski tests side bar.

I respectively disagree with what UTAH 49, RIO, and NM have said about the Bandit XXX, as my experiences have been quite different.

Elsewhere on this site you will find various opinions regarding Salomon Pocket Rockets and AK Rocket Pilot skis. I have not tried these skis, so I have no opinions regarding them.

In other forums on this site you can find some comments regarding the 2004 Bandit B1, B2, and B3 skis that replace the Bandit X series. Also, check out the US and Canadian pages of the Rossignol site. The sidecut dimensions for the B3 are 122.94.112 versus those of the XXX of 123.90.110. The tips and tails of the B3 have been redesigned, and the rubber bumpers have been deleted. The twin tip concept has been retained. A 168 lenght has been added to the other three lenghts previously available for the XXX. The topsheet graphics and cosmetics have also been changed. There was a demo day at Whistler this spring for the new Bandits. Unfortunately, every time I checked out the demo tent, all the B3s were on the mountain. Also, I have seen B1s and B2s at Mammoth, both on the hill and in the ski shops.

Separately, I have seen your Las Lenas information elsewhere on this site. I too am planning a trip this summer. When do the Santa Rosa storms occur? How often is the Marte chair closed? Where do you ski when this happens? How is the skiing now?

sorry y turn and bati.
I didn't check this thread in a while.I went skiing first for 5 days and later for a week to Las Lenas, Chapelco and Cerro Bayo.
Also I had to work really hard to make time for those trips.

The marte lift only close aftrer a big storm or in case of too much wind. Usually no more than a couple of days per week maximum.
If it's closed you ski the caris and vulcano lifts in and out of boundsd . You even have 3 or 4 options of 38 to 45 degree slopes.( pretty black diamond stuff ).
To go cheap , stay in Los molles 18 km from LL.
To stay in the resort , contact the travel agency I useadventurefactory@yahoo.com.ar

A good idea is to go with at least other 3 friends as rooms for 4 to 6 are much cheaper per person.Also september is the best and cheaper month to go